Chrysler Retracts Application for U.S. Green Car Loan

Posted in Jeep Dealer

new Jeep Dealer near O'Fallon All Star Dodge and new Jeep Dealer near O’Fallon is committed to keeping its loyal blog readers updated on the latest Chrysler automotive news.  Chrysler LLC has decided to withdraw its application for $7 billion in loans from the Department of Energy.  The loan was intended to assist automakers in producing more fuel efficient vehicles.

Chrysler Corporation has announced its decision to retract the loan application as the company filed a notice with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. “The DOE’s proposed terms were very restrictive and compliance would have negatively affected our operational flexibility,” a Chrysler spokesperson said today.

Chrysler originally requested funding under the advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing loan program.   The $25 billion program was approved by Congress in 2007 in order to support automakers in updating plants in order to build more fuel efficient vehicles.

In a written statement, Chrysler Corporation stated that its withdraw request; “will not impact Chrysler’s ability to achieve its previously announced business plan targets.”

Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne has expressed that he is dissatisfied with the amount of time it had taken for the government to make a decision regarding the company’s request.

The Detroit automaker lowered its request for under $3.5 billion, although the original amount of the loan request was never made public.  Marchionne stated the loan “will put us in a very, very uncompetitive position against the other two [automakers] in Detroit.”

Marchionne also made a statement about Ford Motor Co. and General Motors:”One blocked DoE funding and the other one was using equity capital, which is probably even a better substitute than DoE funding at a lower rate. So I’m the only guy who is sitting over here that pays back everything with interest and I am sitting over there and I don’t want to be favored, I just don’t want to be mistreated.”

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New SRT Brand Website

Posted in Dodge Dealer

used Dodge Dealer near St. Peters All Star Dodge new and used Dodge Dealer near St. Peters is pleased to announce that Chrysler’s Street Racing Technology (SRT) brand has recently introduced a newly redesigned website at driveSRT.com.

Chrysler Group designs Street Racing Technology vehicles and manufactures them through the Detroit automaker’s in house performance division with a goal to reach 5 new benchmarks including; awe-inspiring powertrains; outstanding ride, handling and capability; braking; aggressive and functional exteriors; and race-inspired and high-performance interiors, which all puts SRT into a class of its own.

DriveSRT.com provides an exclusive journey into the design studios and engineering labs and the factory floors of Chrysler to allow users to view the step by step process that occurs throughout the entire vehicle production process.

According to AllPar.com; “The five requisite SRT hallmarks ensure each new vehicle is delivered with world-class performance and stunning curb appeal. These hallmarks are explored in great detail on driveSRT.com.”

In addition to the extensive information on SRT vehicles found on the driveSRT.com website, visitors are also invited to connect with owners and fans in real time through direct feeds to SRT on Facebook at facebook.com/driveSRT, Twitter @driveSRT, and YouTube at youtube.com/driveSRT, and Flickr at flickr.com/driveSRT.

According to AllPar; “Brand news as well as motorsports and consumer events, and community stories are frequently updated to give visitors regular doses of fresh content. Site visitors also can expect owner profiles and information on SRT clubs nationwide.”

“We’re excited to bring the newly redesigned driveSRT.com to life,” said Ralph Gilles, President and CEO – SRT Brand and Motorsports. “The new site not only offers more exclusive content but it also provides unique ways to connect and stay connected with many enthusiasts groups that we’re building the new SRT brand around.”

To test drive a new or used Dodge or Jeep, contact All Star Dodge in Bridgeton MO today, you won’t be disappointed!

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Chrysler adds 1800 Jobs for Production of the new Dodge Dart

Posted in Dodge Dealer

new Dodge Dealer in Bridgeton MOAll Star new Dodge Dealer located in Bridgeton MO is pleased to announce that Chrysler Group LLC announced it will add approximately 1800 jobs at its Belvidere Assembly Plant.  Hundreds of new jobs and an entire 3rd shift will be added by the end of the 3rd quarter in 2012 in order to produce the new Dodge Dart.

CEO Sergio Marchonne confirmed the future plans during a ceremony at the plant.  The last time Belvidere operated with 3 shifts was back in March of 2008 when there were approximately 3,600 employees.  After all the hiring is finished the employee count will total over 4,500.

Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne confirmed the plans this morning during a ceremony at the plant with Illinois Governor Pat Quinn, Belvidere Mayor Frederic Brereton, UAW Region 4 Director Ron McInroy and hundreds of current employees. The last time Belvidere ran three shifts was in March 2008 when there were about 3,600 employees. When all hiring is complete, the employee population will be more than 4,500.

Marchionne also announced future plans for an investment of $600 million for a new state of the art body shop an addition of new tooling and material handling equipment exclusively designed for the production of Dodge Dart.

“It was not by chance that we chose Belvidere to make this investment and build the new Dodge Dart,” Marchionne told employees. “Our decision is evidence of the faith we have in your level of commitment and your passion to deliver great products for our customers. You have been essential in our ability to author a remarkable story of recovery.

“I want to thank Governor Quinn, Mayor Brereton and the UAW for working with us to bring jobs, investment and a new product to this area,” said Marchionne. “With their help and this dedicated workforce, we are creating a work environment here in Belvidere that is dedicated to quality, and with the flexibility to compete with the best plants anywhere in the world.”

“This announcement is proof that America’s auto industry is indeed back,” said General Holiefield, Vice President, UAW Chrysler Department. “With the continued commitment and hard work of its UAW-represented workers, Chrysler will continue to add more good manufacturing jobs and introduce more industry-leading vehicles, securing the future for the Company and its entire workforce.”

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Mossy Oak Dodge Ram Provides Camo

Posted in Dodge Ram

New Dodge Ram Truck near KirkwoodAll Star Dodge, home of a great lineup of new and used Dodge Ram trucks near Kirkwood knows that the Mossy Oak camouflage is commonly known for being of assistance to hunters in keeping a low profile in nature.

Last year the Ram 1500 Mossy Oak Edition contributed to Ram trucks becoming the fastest growing pickup in the country in 2011.  With Mopar partnering up to offer even more style to Ram owners, the truck became even more popular than ever before.

Mossy Oak features durable vinyl graphics and heavy duty durable seat covers were added from Mopar to provide an innovative way for Dodge truck drivers to customize their ride.  The seat covers are composed of a “poly cotton drill-weave fabric boasting double stitched seams custom tailored for the Ram 1500,” according to All Par.  The fabric in the seat covers are machine washable for easy clean up and they can even be dried in the dryer.

The camo graphics are made from 3M’s premium cast vinyl specifically designed to prevent shrinking and cracking.  The pressure sensitive adhesive provides a unique air releasing property to provide smooth cover and bubble free appearance to the custom badges.  They are also laminated to provide even more protection from scratches and fading.

“A large portion of our Ram Truck customers are true outdoorsmen and proudly wear the brands they use while they hunt,” said Fred Diaz, president and CEO of the Chrysler Group’s Ram Truck Brand and Chrysler de Mexico. “We’re enjoying a great relationship with Mossy Oak and this new line of graphics will allow owners to customize their trucks, and display their passion for hunting and the outdoors.”

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Dodge Charger Police Vehicles Recalled

Posted in Dodge Dealer

new Dodge Dealer in BridgetonAll Star Dodge Dealer located in Bridgeton MO is committed to keeping its loyal customers and blog readers updated regarding Chrysler recalls in recent automotive news.

In a recent All Par article, Chrysler Corp. has announced that it will recall nearly 10,000 Dodge Charger police cars from model year 2011 to 2012. The recall has resulted from a potential problem with headlamp systems.  According to a statement by the Detroit automaker, the company will relocate, and change the ABS, ESC fuse and replace the “headlamp jumper harness,” according to All Par news.  Some of the police vehicles were assembled with front headlamps that could possibly have problems with the loss of low beam headlight operation resulting from an overheated bulb harness connector.  Other police vehicles may experience a loss of ABS, ESC-resulting from an overheated Power Distribution Module.

“The conditions tend to occur when police vehicles are exposed to severe police duty vehicle cycles for an extended period of time including, long durations of high speed, evasive driving when used as training vehicles for police forces and extended idling,” said David Dillon, Head of Product Investigation and Campaigns. “We will continue to monitor the retail fleet for any occurrence of this condition beyond police vehicles.”

Chrysler products affected by the recent recall include Dodge Charger models which were produced between the months of July 5th of 2012 through December 20th of the following model year.

There have not been any accidents or injuries so far that have been reported in association with the recall according to a statement by Chrysler.

To test drive a new or used Chrysler, visit your local All Star new Dodge Dealer in Bridgeton MO today, you won’t be disappointed!

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Chrysler Production Takes a Dramatic Rise in January 2012

Posted in Dodge Dealer

new Dodge Dealer near St. PetersAll Star new Dodge Dealer near St. Peters is pleased to announce that Chrysler production has taken a dramatic rise in the first month of 2012 compared to last year during the same time period.  Just about every Chrysler model realized an increase in production (despite buildout of the Dodge Caliber, Dodge Dakota, and Dodge Nitro in 2011) with the exception of the Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Durango.

Chrysler’s largest producers were Avenger (from 3,520 to 6,380), 300 (from 57 to 6,734), Charger (6,795 to 8,139), Fiat 500 (908 to 5,478), Ram Heavy Duty (8,134 to 11,896), Journey (7,812 to 10,727), and Ram 1500 (16,411 to 19,946 in the US, and 1,622 to 2,122 in Mexico).

Of all the new models, the Fiat Freemont is hands down one of the biggest producer with 6,276 models manufactured in January of 2012.  The Dodge Journey realized 10,727 in production numbers-both the Fiat and the Journey are practically the same design and both are produced in Mexico according to All Par, “the former Neon-then-PT Cruiser plant. Lancia Thema (748) and Fiat 500 convertible (698) are barely on the charts; speaking of rebranded Chryslers, Volkswagen Routan dropped from 1,473 in January 2011 to just 796 in January 2012.”

To test drive a new or used Dodge Journey or any other Chrysler vehicle, visit your local Missouri Dodge Dealer in Bridgeton today, you won’t be disappointed!

The table below illustrates Chrysler’s January production numbers in the U.S. Canada, and Mexico.

January US
2012
US
2011
Canada
2012
Canada
2011
Mexico
2012
Mexico
2011
2012 2011
Cars 15,127 14,192 19,135 10,602 6,176 908 40,438 25,162
Trucks 90,045 72,528 23,779 23,992 31,021 17,594 144,845 113,844
Total 105,172 86,720 42,914 34,594 37,197 18,502 185,283 139,816
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Chrysler Vehicles Win Awards in 2012

Posted in Dodge Dealer

new Dodge Dealer in Bridgeton MOAll Star new Dodge Dealer in Bridgeton Missouri is pleased to announce that Chrysler has received rewards for safety ratings of the Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300, and the Durango and Grand Cherokee were honored at this year’s Chicago Auto Show.

Charger and the Chrysler 300 received 5 star ratings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Five stars is the highest rating for safety given by the government agency which oversees safety performance in side and frontal crash tests as well as for rollover accidents.

“We’re very pleased that both the 2012 Chrysler 300 and 2012 Dodge Charger have achieved the highest overall rating,” said Scott Kunselman, Chrysler Group’s Senior Vice President of Engineering. “The results of these tests reflect crashworthiness and performance in different scenarios.”

“These vehicles are comprehensively equipped with advanced safety features,” added Kunselman. “Both vehicles are robustly designed with a rigid structure to protect occupants and have numerous advanced safety features including, available Adaptive Cruise Control which NHSTA notes as a technology proven to reduce crashes.”

In addition, editors of MotorWeek honored the Dodge Durango and Jeep Grand Cherokee SUV with the “Driver’s Choice Best Large Utility” vehicle at the 2012 Chicago Auto Show.

MotorWeek has selected the best cars of the year for over 31 years.  The Driver’s Choice Awards is given for top reliability and innovations.

“It’s an honor to receive this award from MotorWeek,” said Reid Bigland, President and CEO – Dodge Brand. “Even though it’s still early in 2012, Dodge has already received more than a dozen awards across the line-up, demonstrating the strength of our products.”

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Luxurious Laramie Limited to Launch in Chicago

Posted in Dodge Ram

Dodge Ram truck in BridgetonThe Dodge Ram truck in Missouri is the fastest growing full size truck brand in the U.S. in 2011.  Dodge is expanding its lineup in 2012 by introducing the ultra-lux Ram Laramie Limited introduced at this year’s Chicago Auto Show.

“The launch of the Ram Laramie Longhorn edition gave us a boost in the ultra-premium pickup segment and exceeded our expectations,” said Fred Diaz, Ram’s president and CEO. “Ram Laramie Limited offers customers an even wider selection of luxury models.”

Dodge will also offer a wider selection with many new configurations including; Ram 1500, 2500 HD and 3500 HD single- and dual-rear-wheel-drive setups, with Crew and Mega Cabs, four- and two-wheel drive, and short and long wheelbases, the Laramie Limited “delivers a notably clean appearance, with subtle, restrained badging, sophisticated chrome accents and a body-color front fascia with fog lamps. The Ram 1500 models will wear 20-inch forged aluminum wheels with painted silver pockets, while HD versions get 17-inch, fully polished aluminum wheels,” according to All Par.

With new technologies including the navigation system, back up camera, power adjustable pedals and a premium stereo system standard.

“The Ram Truck brand’s greatest strengths are our commitment to listen to customers and to understand what motivates them,” added Diaz. “We’ve successfully added Ram truck models designed for outdoorsmen, tradesmen, first-time buyers and ranchers. Laramie Limited is designed to meet the high expectations of affluent pickup truck buyers looking to combine capability with elegance.”

Mossy Oak camouflage is attractive for hunters in the great outdoors, according to All Par; “ it had just the opposite effect on the Ram 1500,  a collaboration between the Chrysler Group’s truck brand and the popular camo company produced the Ram 1500 Mossy Oak Edition last year, helping Ram become the fastest-growing full-size pickup in the country in 2011.”

The camo graphics are one of a kind made from 3M’s premium cast vinyl specifically developed to reduce shrinking, cracking or peeling. They are laminated to protect against fading and scratches.

The seat covers are designed from a poly-cotton drill-weave fabric custom tailored for the Ram 1500.

“A large portion of our Ram Truck customers are true outdoorsmen and proudly wear the brands they use while they hunt,” said Fred Diaz, president and CEO of the Chrysler Group’s Ram Truck Brand and Chrysler de Mexico. “We’re enjoying a great relationship with Mossy Oak and this new line of graphics will allow owners to customize their trucks, and display their passion for hunting and the outdoors.”

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Chrysler says “It’s Halftime in America”

Posted in Dodge Dealer

used Dodge Dealer near FlorissantAll Star new and used Dodge Dealer near Florissant knows that the new Chrysler ad “Halftime in America” aired during this year’s Super Bowl XLVI was questioned on CNN’s in a discussion with Mark Stevens, marketing expert.

“It has nothing to do with cars, nothing to do with cars,” said Stevens. “It has everything to do with the Beavis and Buttheads of the agency trying to be cool and trying to win an award. And let me tell you business owners who are not playing with corporate treasury dolls would never, ever give their own money for that. That to me is the acid test.”

According to Stevens; the “Born of Fire” advertisement that Chrysler launched last year was a huge success that resulted in a positive response from viewers and generated millions of views of the ad on YouTube.

Clint Eastwood took this year’s Chrysler message nationwide building on the theme; “Imported from Detroit.”

Auto News stated that the new ad is a hit “among the many automotive ads that aired.”  According to Automotive News; “Larry Vellequette’s report from the NADA convention describes the scene when the ad was shown to dealers yesterday: “A packed room of Chrysler Group dealers were described as ‘visibly emotional’ and ‘misty-eyed’ after watching a preview of the automaker’s two-minute Super Bowl commercial Sunday morning during their make meeting led, unexpectedly, by Chrysler-Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne.”

“People had to compose themselves after seeing it,” said David Kelleher, chairman of the National Chrysler Dealer Council. “It blows people away.”

“Yeah, it’s halftime America. And, our second half is about to begin.”

 

During the 2012 NFL Championship Game, Fiat aired an advertisement featuring Catrinel Menghia and Matthew Rocheleau which has been launched on VH1 and generated a large number of hits on YouTube

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6 Chryslers Deemed Best Buys by Consumer Guide Automotive

Posted in Jeep Dealer

new Jeep Dealer in MissouriAll Star Dodge new Jeep Dealer in Missouri is pleased to announce that Chrysler has received 9 awards in Consumer Guide Automotive’s list of Best Buys and Recommended Picks for 2012.

Included on the list of “Best Buys” for Chrysler include; the Chrysler 300, Chrysler Town & Country, Dodge Charger, Dodge Grand Caravan, and Dodge Journey and the Dodge Ram 1500.

Several Chrysler models which received awards for “Recommended Picks” by Consumer Guide for the 2012 model year include the top selling Jeep Grand Cherokee, Dodge Durango, as well as the Fiat 500.

“We are honored and thrilled to have nine vehicles named as ‘Best Buys’ or ‘Recommended Picks’ by Consumer Guide Automotive,” said Reid Bigland, President and CEO – Dodge Brand and Head of U.S. Sales. “Chrysler Group launched an unprecedented 16 all-new or substantially-refreshed vehicles in 2010 and 2011, models that continue to resonate with both consumers and objective, third parties like Consumer Guide.”

In order to receive a “Best Buy” rating, winning Chrysler vehicles are ranked at the very top of their class, and are strongly approved by the editors of Consumer Guide Automotive.

A “Best Buy” rated vehicle is considered having the best attributes for the price within its specific class, and they are considered the best choice for most buyers.

A consumer Guide’s “Recommended Pick” consists of vehicles that, though not ranked at the very top of in their class, still warrant strong consideration by car buyers for their unique features and high value.

To test drive an award winning Chrysler today, visit your local All Star Dodge Dealer located in Bridgeton MO today, you won’t be disappointed!

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All Star Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram • 11503 St. Charles Rock Rd • Bridgeton • MO • 63044

Sales: 314-291-2050 • Service: 314-291-2050